By Glenn Haege / Special to The Detroit News

Dear Glenn: I heard on your show where you could purchase plugs for rod hole in basement walls. I have several leaking rod holes in my basement. Could you please send me that address or phone number? Thanks.
   — Wil

Dear Wil: The Rod Hole waterproofing kit was invented and is produced by Mr. Sponge Waterproofing, (800) 491-4686. It is sold locally at all Damman Hardware stores.

By Glenn Haege / Special to The Detroit News

Dear Glenn: Could you please advise where to find information on replacing ropes on old double hung windows with weights? We’re capable do-it-yourselfers but need a little direction.
   — G.W., Internet

Dear G.W.: Almost all the big how-to books, like Home Depot’s Home Improvement 1-2-3 and the Readers Digest Home Improvement book have explicit directions. If you don’t want to buy the books, you can find them at most libraries.

There are new sash kits available that permit you to replace your old rope and weight sashes with pressure sashes. Ask for them at your local home center.

By Glenn Haege / Special to The Detroit News

Dear Glenn: Why would anyone want to buy a low-efficiency furnace? Why do furnace manufacturers sell both 80-percent and 92-percent efficient furnaces? We have an old forced air system that we would like to replace with a new furnace.
   — Leon, Oak Park

Dear Leon: There is no one answer to every homeowner’s heating needs. The reason we have different efficiency furnaces is a thing called freedom of choice. Not everyone wants, needs or is willing to pay for a 92-percent efficient furnace. Even if you buy an 80-percent efficient furnace it will be far more efficient than the one you presently have in your home.

If you have an older house, it may not be built to take advantage of the 90-plus furnace’s efficiency. You may not like the extended running of the more efficient furnace’s blower. There may not be sufficient cost benefit trade-off between extra efficiency and higher cost.

For what it is worth, my good friend, Jim Williams of Williams Refrigeration, (888) 268-5445, agrees with you. He believes that almost everyone should buy 90-percent efficient furnaces and that there is no measurable cool draft with a more efficient models.

By Glenn Haege / Special to The Detroit News

Dear Glenn: Our family room is on a slab with a step-up to the hallway. There is a return air duct in the step up. We are getting a moldy smell from this area. Is there anything you know of to do to eliminate the mold and smell? Or can you recommend someone who handles this type of problem?
   — Ted, Centerline

Dear Ted: I suggest that you have the ducts cleaned and sanitized. Not all duct cleaners will work on air ducts in slabs. One name to try is Safety King, (888) 382-8776. They also have a video duct cam so you can see what’s going on in your ducts. Be sure you tell them what the problem is when you make the appointment.

That said, duct cleaning may not be the solution to your problem. You may have standing water or water drainage in the duct area. This would be a construction problem and would have to be solved by rebuilding that area.

Whatever the problem and the cost of solution, solve the problem right away. Standing water could turn into serious consequences to your family’s health.

By Glenn Haege / Special to The Detroit News

Dear Glenn: Unfortunately, I have to replace four panes of thermal glass in my windows. What advantage or disadvantage is there to buying better-insulated glass? Would I be better off with an inert gas between the panes? What do you think about low E glass?
   — Jend, on the Internet

Dear Jend: There is some immediate insulation advantage to inert gases. However, executives from Weather Shield tell me that they do not insert inert gases between the thermal panes of their windows because, according to their tests, none of the inert gas remains after about 27 months. So my advice is to not pay extra for inert gas.

Low E glass has many proven advantages. It will lose less heat during the winter, refract heat away from the house during the summer and reduce fading from ultra violet rays.